So now we are all deliriously happy with our new owner and team both on and off the pitch (Saturdays result aside) it made me think, Just how much credit does Massimo Cellino deserve? And i have come to the conclusion that..... he is the best Chairmen I can remember Leeds United having. Once you pick yourselves off the floor allow me to explain.

I am 27, I can't remember any of the Chairmen before Peter Ridsdale. I can remember players and things but the bloke in charge didn't really matter to 7 year old me, so Ridsdale was the first Chairman I have any memory of. Not much needs to be said that hasn't before, he was useless and sent this club crashing down the leagues. Everything that has happened since was in one way or another his fault. Next was Gerald Krasner and Peter McKenzie, dont remember much about them, says it all really, they were in a difficult position trying to clear up Ridsdales mess.

Then we had Ken Bates. Again, bit of a crook, never had Leeds at heart, it was always about Ken Bates, put us into administration, took us to the 3rd Division, then sold us to the best people he could find, GFH! Lump them together rather then pick on one person, GFH were a nightmare , dont need to go into it but they were a leech and in many ways probably screwed us over more then even Uncle Ken, he was a pillock but least he had the decency to look you in the eye while he robbed you. GFH left behind an absolute mess and made things as hard as possible for any future Leeds owner.

The true mess we discovered later is the reason why only really Massimo would take us on, and he rid us of them, he took on their debts and things in order to ensure he had full control. Then he delved even further and discovered it was worse then he feared, but he pumped his own money in, his cash, to help us and keep us going, he turned us into a reasonably run football club for the first time in my memory.

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And then, he sold us to our current owner, Andrea Radrizzani and so far he has been a godsend, cant fault the man, I'm not going to say he is the messiah but he seems to be doing an excellent job. But we have to remember he came in to a properly ran football club, he didnt have the mess of GFH and Bates etc to sort out, Massimo had done that. I would imagine that whatever people think of Cellino he had the club in a decent enough state financially to entice Radrizzani to invest.

Would Radrizzani have invested if he had to put up with what Massimo had, probably not, he would have had the accounts delved into and thought "Non per me è un campo minato" (Nah not for me its a minefield).Yes Massimo Cellino was a bit crazy, eccentric, a control freak, but i really do believe some sections of the fan base treated him and his family quite poorly, abusing his kids on twitter and whatever, especially his daughter who i dont think had much to do with the club. He was all those things i said, but he cared, he was a football man, he wanted to take Leeds up, but he couldn't for whatever reason, probably because when he said all these things about buying back Stadiums and training grounds he had no idea just how badly Leeds had been run for years.

So Mr Cellino i thank you, I thank you for ridding us of GFH, I thank you for taking us on when most people wouldn't have touched us with a barge pole, I thank you for investing your own money and not clinging on and leeching off us for years and making life difficult for Radrizzani, I thank you for being at times quite funny, I thank you for not being Peter Ridsdale and Ken Bates and i thank you for turning us back into a decently ran football club.

Well stated and presented and in total agreement. The very shabby way he was treated by a certain section of 'supporters' was really out of line with lots of beyond the pale hissy-fits. Just glad MC had the gumption to turn us over to Rads, when he could've just told the club to 'eff off and sell to some asset stripper.

Massimo only ever want to see beautiful football played with grace and style
If he had money to invest, I think with the team we have now, he would be
emptying his pockets. Perhaps he feels a tinge of regret that he was unable
to take us to the success we have had so far with Radrazzini

One day, I think it would be a good gesture from us caring fans if we could somehow do something (at the moment I've no idea what) to show him how we feel about him - a gesture to show him what we think of him in a very good way.
I'm not sure at this stage but I think Radz would maybe like to be involved too, to facilitate whatever we do. After all, he could probably arrange for Massimo to be invited to some spoof event, then unleash our gratitude upon him.

I'm sure there are snags in what I suggest, but I really care for what Massimo did and I think he needs to be presented with a fanfare of sorts to show him we (at least the responsible ones) do care and thank him for his deeds.

Of course, anyone not with our frame of mind and seeing this thread and this post would likely cause mischief, but I don't know what to say - I just think it's something we ought to do.

Norm wrote:One day, I think it would be a good gesture from us caring fans if we could somehow do something (at the moment I've no idea what) to show him how we feel about him - a gesture to show him what we think of him in a very good way.
I'm not sure at this stage but I think Radz would maybe like to be involved too, to facilitate whatever we do. After all, he could probably arrange for Massimo to be invited to some spoof event, then unleash our gratitude upon him.

I'm sure there are snags in what I suggest, but I really care for what Massimo did and I think he needs to be presented with a fanfare of sorts to show him we (at least the responsible ones) do care and thank him for his deeds.

Of course, anyone not with our frame of mind and seeing this thread and this post would likely cause mischief, but I don't know what to say - I just think it's something we ought to do.

Thoughts...............

If we do go back up (when) might be a nice touch from Radz to invite MC back to first game back at ER....

Fully endorse what others have said, nuts - most certainly, but he needed to be. Genuinely believe he had our best interests at heart and wasn't in it for a quick buck. Without doubt he saved us from another financial meltdown and likely administration, this one would possibly have been worse as we had nothing left of value to sell.

Got unwarranted stick for some of his antics and no praise for the good he did from most quarters, sure history will show he wa pivotal in our resurgence though.

said on previous posts about this topic , if I ever met him I would gladly shake his hand and thank him , once he started to keep his nose out of the dressing room and started to do what he does best (the boardroom) things started to turn very quickly in our favour .

Cjay wrote:I fully agree with everything everyone said and would be nice if and when we get promoted Massimo was invited

Unfortunately still a section of the fan base who refuse to budge from there "he's a crook, good riddance".

Theres a blog online, cant remember his name but he writes some good stuff, unfortunately he is totally anti Cellino and was complaining about him retiring number 17 the other day, like that matters

I think MC's biggest failing was that he was an easy target for criticism given his chequered past and made himself more so with some of his rash promises and antics early on as a result many were unable to see any good he did no matter how big the benefit.

I can't believe that after three years of turmoil under that absolute clown, that any Leeds fan would want to praise him in any way whatsoever. He started off by sacking McDermott before he had even purchased the club, and then quickly backtracking after the fans reaction. Instead he waited until the final day of the transfer deadline to sack him, before starting his bizarre list of weird appointments - Hocakaday, Redfearn (twice), Milanic, Rosler, Evans. He only landed on Garry Monk after Darrell Clarke and Karl Robinson had turned the job down - the latter after Cellino had turned up late for his interview drunk or stoned or both.

Even his purchase was a shambles, once it became apparent that GFH still had their claws in the club, and that the purchase agreement gave them a large windfall out of future revenues, and had a say in any players purchased. If you add his meddling in team selection - now confirmed by previous ex-managers, and the glut of Serie B shite he brought into the club on long contracts, whilst forcing any decent player who could command a fee out of the door with laughable contract offers. It doesn't read as a good CV, does it.

People lauding him for selling to Radz, when it was less of a noble act, and more the act of a man desperate to sell to anybody who would match his price. We were very lucky that the right man came along when he did.

Also judging by his comments on Cellino on Talk Sport recently, it is very doubtful that Radz would be inviting him back to the club any time soon.

I think we're maybe a little too MC positive here but that's no bad thing and I prefer to see the positive in people than the negative if at all possible. I also could argue all day that MC sins were all minor indiscretion and tbh seems like a guy I'd happily have a drink with. I don't get the vitriol for someone who took over a very risky proposition, probably lost a lot of money on our behalf and left us in reasonable nick.

A matter of opinions I suppose no one can say .. never have I got it wrong! Cellino didn't get nor start too well. For 12 months 'now't went right . Meddling to much 'ego trip , not clearly understanding the English game among other on the pitch travails. Opinions do matter and Now that he's gone let's move on. The man only proved that he's human and we need to thank him for a lot of positive stuff l.e he did do a deal with a wealthier and cleverer businessman. He should be praised at least for that.